Ribbon-throw mechanism for type-writing machines.



No. 895,671, PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.-

K T. OLIVER. RIBBON THROW MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 21, 1907.

2 sums-sand: 1

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

T. OLIVER. RIBBON THROW MECHANISM FORTYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 21, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS OLIVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOF TO THE OLIVER TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RIBBON-THROW MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application filed December 21, 1907. Serial No. 407,455.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS OLIVER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ribbon-Throw Mechanism for Type-WritingMachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

- clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This'invention relates to im rovements in mechanism, known as the ribbon-throw device, employed in typewriting machines of the kind known as visible machines, or those in which the line of writing is visible to the operator as the writing progresses, for the purpose of shifting or moving the inking rib on to a position over the striking point of the type each time an impression is made and withdrawing the ribbon after each impression is made toex ose the printed line.

The invention re ates more especially to a construction of such ribbon-throw mechanism ada ted for use in connection with two inking IlbbOIlS of different colors, whereby one or the other of such inking ribbons may the opwriting machines other than the Oliver.

machine wherein the shifting movement of the inking ribbon is required in order .to ex pose the printed line during the operation of printing.

The ribbon-throw mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings as illustrating my inventionis similar to t e ribbon-throw mechanism -of said prior Oliver patent with res ect to the means for-supporting the inking ribbon adjacent to the printing point and giving reciprocatory motion to said ribbon, but the princi al feature of the invention may be embo ied in a device differing in its details therefrom.

.inafter described and more The invention consists in the matters hereparticularly pointed out in the appended clalms.

In the accompanying drawings illustratin my invention :Figure 1 is a view in centra vertical section of the paper-carriage and shift-frame of an Oliver typewritin machine, illustrating in side'elevation a ribbonthrow mechanism having two ribbon-guides, togetherwith actuating mechanism therefor. Fig. 2 is a lan view of the parts shown. in Fig. 1 ShOWIII both ribbon-guides in retracted position. tion of the ribbon-throw mechanism more immediately concerned in giving movement to the ribbons, parts thereof being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a detail plan section, taken upon the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fi 5 is a perspective view of one of the ri honuidep ates separate from the other parts. i'g. 6 1s a detail section, taken upon the line 6-6 of Fi 3. Fig. 7 is a plan view, correspondbon-- ing with Fig. 2, except that one'of the ri guides is shown in its retracted and the other in its advanced, position. Fig. 8 is a sectional view, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.-

As illustrated in said drawin s, 1 indicates the platen of the machine, 2 tie pa er-car- Fig. 3 is a view in front eleva riage' in which said platen is mounte and 3 the lower, front, longitudinal frame-bar of said carria e, on the front edge'of which is formed rac -teeth 4 constituting part of the letter-s acing mechanism. I

5 in lcates the shift-frame of the machine on which the carriage is mounted and has cndwise movement. Said shift-frame itself has backward and forward shifting movement on the machine frame to bring the aper in position for receiving the impression From one or the other of a plurality of types, as in said Oliver typewriting machine.

Mounted-in the forward part of said'shiftframe is an upright shaft 6 having at its lower end an escape-wheel 7 and at its upper end a ear-pinion 8 which intermeshes with the rac -teeth 4.

9 indicates a vertically oscillating escapement-lever also mounted on the shift-frame and provided with .a 'awl 10 that en ages said esca e-wheel 7. aid escape-whee together with the oscillating escapement-lever 10, constitutes the escapement mechamsmofthe machine by which the letter-spacing is accomplished; oscillatory. movement being communicated to'said escapement-leve-r from thekey-levers of the machine, through the medium of an upright connecting rod 11.

12 indicates a rig d arm on the front of the 5 shift-frame5 in the upper end of which the shaft 6 has bearing.

13 indicates a frame standard which is at tached .to the arm 12.0f the shift-frame and rises at the front of the platen. Said standard 13 is provided at its upper end'with. an integral, horizontal ate 14, constituting a support for the rib bon-throw mechanism, which is mounted upon the upper end of said standard.

Now referring to the construction of the ribbon-throw mechanism, in which is embodied thenovel features constituting my invention, the same as illustrated embraces parts as follows: 15 indicates a pivot-rod arranged horizontally at the front of and parallel-with the platen 1. Said pivot-rod is su ported at its ends in lugs 16,16 which rise rom the horizontal plate 14 of the standard-13.

17 indicates a horizontal rock-shaft arranged in the same horizontal plane with-the pivot-rod 15 and forward of the latter. Said rock-shaft 17 is mounted at its ends in two bearing lugs 18, 18 which rise from the said plate 14 at the forward edge ofthe latter.

20, 21 indicate two supporting links which are pivotally supported on the op osite ends of the pivot-rods 15, 15and extencl upwardly therefrom. 22 and 23 indicate two similar supporting links which are pivotally supported at their lower ends on the rock-shaft- 17 and extend u wardly from the latter.

24 and 25 in icate two horizontally arranged guide-plates which are pivotally connected with and supported upon the u per 'ends of the two' pairs of links 20,. 21 an 22, 23 and extend rearwardly from said links toward and over the platen. The rear and forward links 20 and 22 at the right-hand side of the device are pivotally connected with the right-hand guide-plate 24 by means of horizontal transverse pivot-pins 26 and 27. Similarly, the rear and forward links 21 and 23 at the left-hand side of the device are pivg o otally connected at their upper ends with the left-hand guide-plates by means of pivots 28 and 29. I

The four su orting links referred to are made of equal lhngths and the pivots con 55 nectin'g their upper ends with the guidelates are arranged the same distance apart horizontally, or from front to rear, as the pivot-rod 15 and rock-shaft 17, so that said guide-plates are supported in a horizontal position, and will maintain their horizontal position, when given a backward and forward shifting movement through the turning or swinging of said links about the pivot-rod 15 and rock-shaft 17 The said guide-plates 24 and 25 are provided at their rear ends with I semen guide-loops 30', 31 for engagement with the ribbons. Said guide-loops are so arranged that when the guide-plates are swung rear wardly they will rest over the printing line and in position to hold the, ribbons; engaged 79 therewith over the printing point.

According to the details of construction illustrated, the two guideplates 24 and 25 and the supporting links t erefo'r are 'niade of sheet-metal and eyes are formed thereon for engagement with the ivot-pins by which I they are connected with t e su porting links, as well as the guide-loops at their rear ends, by means of integral prongs onv the said,

lates which are bent to form said eyes'an'd L0 oops, as seen in the perspective view, Fig. 5. As illustrated, each guide-plate is provided with laterally separated, downwardly extending eyes which engage the ends (f its associated pivot-pin '26 or 28, at opposite 35 sides of the upper ends of the rearmost links 20 and 21, and at its forward endwith-a single eye that is engagedwith one'of the pivotpins 27 or 29, centrally of the latter; the ends v of said latter pivot-pins being engaged with laterally separated eyes formed by a forked construction of the upper ends of the forwardlinks 22 and 23. Moreover, the guideloops 30 and 3101] said guide-plates A and 25 are formed -by means of prongs out from the rear end-portions of said plates and bent toward each other to embrace opposite'side margins of tl1e.ribbon, as-clearly seen in said Fig. 5.

Pivotally supported on the pivot-rod 15 190 between the links 20 and 21 is an upwardly extending arm, 32. Attached rigidly to. the rock-shaft 17 centrally thereof and between thetwo forward supporting links 22 and 23 is an upwardly extending arm 33 which is,

rigidly attached to said rock-shaft, andwhich willbe herein. referred to as the actuating arm. V A horizontally arranged CODI16Cl3l11 bar 34 is pivotally connected-at its rear an forward ends with the arms 32 and 33 by m means of horizontal transverse pivots 35 and i 36. Said rock-shaft 17 is end with a crank-arm 37 with which is connected' the upper endof a connecting rod-3S that extends downwardly to and is connected with the forward end of the escapement lever 9; said escapement lever formingpart of the letter-spacing mechanism of the machine and being lifted at the time one of the key-levers of the machine is o erated to effect the printing of a letter oi c aracter. It follows that each time an impression is made, and the I forward end of said escapement-lever is lifted,'the said rock-shaft 17 will be swung-or oscillated 'in a direction to carry the upwardly extending actuating arm 33 thereon rearwardly or towards the platen. The arm .32 being pivotally supported upon the pivot rod 15 and connected at its upper end with the upper end of said arm 33 by the connectprovided at one ing bar 34, gartakes of the oscillatory movement of sai actuatin arm 33.

It being manifest om the' construction described, that. the two ribbon guide-plates partake of the oscillatory movement given to said rock-shaft, it follows that if one of the parts so given oscillatory movement by the rock shaft, (namely, the arms 32 and 33 and connecting bar 34,) be engaged or connected desired.

'lockingmeans, illustrated in the drawings,

with one of the guide-plates '24 or 25, or with one of the su porting links of one of said guide plates, t e guide-plate thus connected with one of the arts which is actuated by therock-shaft l partake of the oscillatory movement of said rock-shaft. To provide for the actuation-of either of said guide-plates, therefore, I provide manually o erable locking means by which one of sai parts which always moves with the rock-shaft may be detachably connected with one or the other of said guide-plates, there-by permitting either of the inking ribbons engaged with said guidelates to be thrown into action, as he particular construction of such is as follows: 40, 41 (Figs. 6 and 7) indicate two latch arms located-at the forward and rear faces of the actuating arm 33 and pivotally connected with said arm bymeans of a pivot stud; 42 to which both of said latcharms are rigidly secured in arallel relation to each other. The forwar or-outer latcharm 40 is shown as provided with a crank l arm or handle 43 by which the latch-armsma be swung or moved on the arm 33, in

-- sue manner that the same will pro'ectfrom either'the right or' left-hand side 0 the said arm, as indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. .3 and in said Fig. 6., Said latch-arms 40 and 41 are so arranged with res ect to the .forward supporting links 22 an 23 that when either of said links is in the same plane 1 with the actuating arm 33, the said latcharms may be swung into enga ement with said link and will extend at the orward and rear face thereof, thereby locking it securely to said actuating arm.

It-willbe manifest. from the construction described that when the latch-arms 40 and 41am swung' to the right and are thereby d with the forward link 22 at the ri hth-an side-thereof, the guide-plate 24 wil be given backward and forward movement with the actuati plate will 'v e backward and forward moveaction.

arm 33, so that said guideribbon engaged thereby,

same manner as in the case. of the ribbonthrow mechanism illustrated in said .prior Oliver patent. When the actuating arm .33 is thus in operative connection-with the guide-plate 24, however, the opposite or lefthand guide late will be disconnected from -'the ribbon-t row actuating devices and the ribbonengaged therewith will remain out of The guide plate which is at any time disconnected from the operating devices will stand, at the forward limit of its movement, as indicated in the'case of the left-hand guideplate 25 in Fig. 1. For the pur ose of limitmg the forward movement 0 the guideplates when thrown out of action, I have shown sto -arms 44, 44 as attached to the forward e ge of the plate 14 and rising in front of the forward links 22 and 23; the weight of the guide-plate which is out of action servin to retaln the same at the forwardlimit '0 its movement, when the forward supporting link thereof rests against one of said stop-arms 44 or 44 For positively limiting the rearward throw or movement of the guide-plate which is at any time connected with the actuating arm 33, a stoparm 45 is attached to and rises from the plate 14 in position for contact therewith of the oscillating arm 32 which, as before described, partakes of the oscillatory movement of said actuating arin 33., A similar stop-arm'46 is shown as rising from the plate 14 at the rear of the said actuating arm 33 and as arranged to limit the rearward the latter.

In the drawings, (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) 4'7 and 48 indicate the portions of two inking ribbons swinging movement .of

adjacent to the printing point which-jareen-' gaged and operated by the guide-loops on the guidelates 24 and 25. These inking ribbons wi usuallybe of different colors as, for instance, the'ribbon 47 may bered and the ribbon 48 black. Manifestly, by locking the actuating arm to either one or the other of the two guide-plates 24 or 25, either ribbon may be brou ht into use as desired, while the other one wil be held forward and out of the way of the type by its guide-platewhich will rest at the forward limit of its movement;

When a locking-device, adapted for connecting one or the other of the two guideplates with the ribbon-throw actuating device, is arranged to connect the actuating arm, 33 one of the forward supportin links 21 or 22, as illustrated, the arm 32 an connectin bar 34-may be omitted.

In its roader aspect, my invention includes two ribbon-guides capable of reciprocatory movement, and locking means whereby either one of said ribbon-guides may be connected with a part of the machine which is given oscillatory envibratOry movement tion is not,v therefore, limitedto a construction in which motion is transmitted to the ribbon-throw device from the escape-lever of the machine, nor is it limited to the details and arrangement of parts illustrated, except so far as the same in themselves, constitute features of novelty and are pointed out in the ,ap ended claims as included in my invention.

nsome circumstances, as when doing what is known as stencili' work, it is desir 'ble to throw .both ribbon-guides out'of act on,

' and this may be easily done in the structure described by placing thelatch-ar'ms 40 and Al in the central portion thereof sothat they will be disengaged from both of the links 22 and 23, and the guide-plates will both be disconnected from the actuating devices.

I claim as my invention 1.' In typewriting machine, the combina tion wit a vibratory part of the machine whichis moved in the making of each impressiorn'of two movable guide-plates carrying ribbon-guides, two pivotally supported oscillating movably' sustaining each of said guide-plates, a pivotally supported oscillating actuating arm, means for operating said oscillating actuating arm from said vibratory part of the ty ewriting machine,

3 and means for detachab y connecting; said actuatin arm with either one or the other of said ui e-plates. 2. %n a typewriting machine, the combination with the letter-spacing mechanism thereof embracing a vibrating escapementlever; of two reciprocating guide-plates provided with ribbon-guides, two ivotally sup- "ported oscillating inks severa ly connected with said guidelates, an oscillating actu- 1 arm is attached between the links, said 'rockating arm, a'roc shafton which said links are -monntedand to which said actuating shaft being provided with a crank-arm, a connecting rod connecting said crank-arm on the TrOck shaft with said escapement-lever, and means for detachably connecting said actuating arm with either one of said oscillating links.

3. A ribbon throw mechanism for typewriting machines comprising two reci roguides and means for supporting ,and sepa-.

- rately actuating said guide plates, said supporting means sustaining the said guide plates in parallel relation and aifording separate endw-ise movement thereof toward and from the printing point of the machine and .the said actuating means including two piv'' otally supported oscillating links swinging .on a common axis and associated one with 'each' i said guide plates, an oscillating actuating armmounted to oscillate on an axis in alinement with the axis of oscillation of said -links,*means for giving vibratory movement \to said actuating armand means for locking said actuating armto either one of said links.

' or the other of said links.

eating guide plates provided with rib on;

4. A ribbon throw mechanism for typewriting machines comprising two reciprocating guide plates provided with ribbon guides and means for supporting and sepa rately actuating said guide plates, said supporting means sustaining the said guide plates in parallel relation and afiording separate endwise movement thereof toward and from the printing point of the machine and the said actuating means including two pivotally supported oscillating links swinging on a common axis and associated one with each of said guide plates, an oscillating'actuating arm located between said links and swinging on an axis in alinement with the axis of oscillation thereof, means for giving vibratory movement to said actuating arm, and means for locking said actuating armto either one 5. A ribbon throw mechanism for typewriting machines, comprising two reci rocating guide plates provided with rib on guides and means for supporting and separately actuating said guide plates, said supporting means sustaining the said guide plates in parallel relation andaiiording separate endwise movement thereof toward and from the printing point ofthe machine, and the said actuating means including two oscillating links associated one with eachof said guide plates, a rock-shaft on which said links are mounted, an actuating-arm attached to said rock-shaft between the links thereon and means for giving oscillatory movement to said rock-shaft. 1

61 A ribbon-throw mechanism for typewriting machines com rising two reciprocating guide-plates provi ed with ribbon-guides, two pivoted oscillating links sustaining eac'h of said guide-plates, the links associated with each guide-plate'having their pivotal axes in .alinement with the pivotal axes of the links associated with the other guide-plate, an

oscillating actuating arm, a rock-shaft on which is mounted one of the links associated with each guide-plate and,to which said actuating member is attached between the links thereon, means for actuating said rockshaft, and means for locking said actuating member to either one or the other ofsaid links on said rock-shaft.

said actuating arm and adapted to be swung thereon into en agement with one or the other of the said inks,

, 8. A ribbon-throw mechanism for typewriting machines com rising two reciprocating gu hie-plates provic ed with ribbon-guides,

' two pivotally supported, oscillating links sustaimng each of saidguide-plates, an oscillating actuating member, meansfor giving vi-.

bratory movement to said actuating member, means for detachably connecting said actuating member with either one or the otherof said guide-plates, and stops fol-limwriting machines comprising two endwise reciprocating guide-plates provided with ribhon-guides, two pivotally sup orted, oscillating links sustaining each 0 said guidelates, an oscillatingactuating arm, means or giving v bratory movement to said arm,

means for detachably connecting said actu- I atiiig arm with either one or the other of said guide plates, and a sto for limiting the rear.- ward movement of sair actuating arm 10. A ribbon-throw mechanism for typewriting machines comprising two recigarocating guide-plates provided with rib onguides, two pivotally supported, oscillating links sustaining each of said guide-plates, an oscillating actuating arm, means for giving vibratory movement to said actuating arm, means for detachably connecting said actuating member with either one or the other of said guide-plates, stops for limiting the forward movement of the guide-plates, and a sto for limiting the rearward movement of mi actuating arm.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the resence of two witnesses, this 16th day of ecember A. D. 1907.

THOMAS OLIVER,

Witnesses:

O. CLARENCE POOLE, G. R. WILKINS. 

